Shoe heel



June 10, 1924.

l H.:J\. P. ,Ro'r'rGER 'SHOE HEEL vFiled Nov. 2s, w22

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Patented .lune 10, 1924i.

y wenn HCE.

HENRY .'r. r. Romana, on NEW YORK, 1v. Y. l

SHOE HEEL.

Application led November 23, 1922. Serial No. 602,674.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY J. P. Ro'rrenn, a citizen'of the UnitedStates, residing at Maspeth, in the borough of Queens, city and State ofNew lYork, have invented an Improvement in Shoe Heels,'of which thefollowing is a specilication.

This invention relates to a shoe heel and more particularly to that typeof heels for boots and shoes in which there is provided a revolubletread and devices for turning the revoluble tread a partial revolutioneach time the heel is raised from contact with the walking surface. Theobject of the invention is the provision of a heel l*of this type whichis of comparatively inexpensive construction and which is preferablyoperated through gears and associated Vmechanism so as to cause theaction thereof to be absolutely positive, and the shoe heel made inaccordance with my invention will be hereinafter more particularlydescribed.

In the drawing: A

Fig. 1 is a side'elevation and partial sec# tion showing the applicationof my improved heel in use in a slipper.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central cross section showing the tread member inthe raised position.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the tread member in the loweredposition. f

Fig. 4l is a section on line 4-4,Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation illustrating the construction ofthedrum, gear, collar and shaft employed in the heel.

By reference to the .drawing it will be seen that in carrying out theinvention I employ a heel, the body portion of which is indicated at 10;and which may be made of any suitable material and provided with a holeor opening 11. As will be understood the body of the heel may beattached to a slipper 12 or a boot or shoe in any suitable manner.

At the lower or outer end of the heel I employ a plate 13 which may beconnected to this end of the body of the heel in any desired manner. Atthe opposite end of the heel, that is at the upper or inner end thereofor adjacent the same there is a cross plate or bar 14.- This'is set inoppositely disposed recesses provided therefor, androne end 15 of thevcross plate isl secured to the heel by ascrew 16 and the opposite end 17of the crossy plate is similarly Secured intheheelbyascrewlS.. Y f

Mounted in the plate 13 'therel isa drumV 19. This is journaled in an.opening 2O in the plate 13 which provides a bearing therefor. At theinner end of the drum 19. there is a flange 21 normally adapted tobear'against the inner surface of the plate, it being understood thatthe drum19 is revoluble in the bearing and also shiftable thereinlongitudinally of the heel. I also employ a shaft 22. At one end` thisis provided' with a circularly flanged head 23fadapted to be received ina recess 24 provided thereforin the inner end ofthe drum 19. Mounted onthe shaft 22 there isa sleeve 25. AThis sleeve 25 also extends into anjopening 26 provided therefor in the inner end of the drum 19and issuitably connected to the drum 19 in any manner to .permit the drum andsleeve to also turn onthe shaft 22 and the head .23 thereof. At theouter end of the sleeve 25 there isa bevel gear 27. This, as will beunderstood, may be made an intergral part of the sleeve or connectedthereto in any suitable manner. The opposite or inner end 0f the shaft22 is flattened as indicated at 28 and passes through a. slot providedtherefor and acting as a .bearing in the cross plate or bar 14. /These'parts are normally maintained in the position indicated in' F ig. 3 by aspring '30, secured at one end between the head ofy the screw 16 and theupperface of the cross plate or bar la and bearinglat its opposite endagainst the flattened end of the shaft22. By this structure, as will beunderstood, the drum 19 and its flange 21 are revoluble in the bearingin the plate 13 and are also adapted to turn on the outer end oftheshaft 22, together with the sleeve 25 and its bevel gear 27, whilethese parts together with the shaft 22 are shiftable longitudinally ofthe heel and the shaft is prevented from turning because of itsflattened end passing through and being movable in the slotv29 in thecross plate or bar 14.

Suitably Xed in and extending from the shaft 22 there is a stub shaft31.'. Mounted on 'this stub shaftis a disk 82. Connected to the'disk 32at one side thereof is a bevel gear 33 adapted to mesh with the bevelgear en a 27, while at theopposite side of the disk 32 there is aratchet 34E. Associated with the ratchet there is a pawlr 35 which ispivotally connected at one end as indicated at 36 to the side of thecross plate or bar 14, while the free or latch end of the pawlis adaptedto engage the teeth of the ratchet. The pawl is normally maintained inposif tion with the latch end thereof in engagement with the teeth ofthe ratchet by means of a springr 37 or otherwise.

l also employ a tread member which, as indicated, may include a plate 38which is secured to the under or outer surface of the drum 19 by meansof screws 39 or otherwise and to which plate 38 a suitable tread member40 is attached in any desired manner, it being understood that thistread member may be made of leather, or rubber or other material ofwhich heel treads are commonly constructed. lt will be noted that thetread member 40 is centrally recessed as indicated at 41 not only forthe purpose of making it possible to readily attach the plate 38 to thedrum 19, but. it provide an annular or tread surface. for the heel so asto make it impossibile for the tread member to wear into ar conicalformation, it being obvious that as the wear is onthe outer edgeof thetread member in the revolution of the tread member it would wear intothe form of a` cone if it were made to extend entirely across the bottomof the heel, whereas because of the central recess therein the wear onthe heel can only7 create an inclined surface eX- tending'from the outeredge to the recessed portion of the tread member.

In the use and operation of the devices comprising the heel ashereinbefore described, the parts are normally maintained in theposition shown in Fig. and when the heel is broughtv into contact vwiththe walking surface the tread member and the parts associated therewithare shifted longitudinally of the heel to the position shown in Fig. 2.In this shifting of the parts thc drum with the shaft and the gearscarried thereby are moved inwardly against the action of the spring 30.ln so doing, as will be obvious, the latch or dog end of the pawi ridesover one or more of the teeth of the ratchet 34;. When the heel israised the action of the spring against the shaft returns the saine andthe drum with the revoluble tread member to the position shown in Fig.3. ln so doing the ratchet 34 in moving outwardly will be turned apartial revolution transmitting a correspondingmovement to the bevelgear 38 which is transmitted to the bevel gear Q7 thereby turning thesleeve 25 and the drum 19 a partial revolution which is also transmittedto the tread member so that each time the heel is raised and returned tothe tread surface the tread member is revolved a partial incenserevolution to bring a new section thereof at the rear of the heel wherein most cases it is first brought into contactv with the tread surface.This, as will be apparent, causes the tread surface of the heel to wearevenly.

l claim as my invention:

1=. lln a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an openingtherein, a plate at the outer end of the heel body, a revoluble tread, adevice passing through and journaled in the said plate and to which thesaid revoluble tread is attached, a shaft upon which the said device isrevolubly mounted, the said shaft, together with the L' device and treadattached thereto, being movable longitudinally of the heel, and meansfor imparting a partial revolution to the said device and revolubletread each time the heel is lifted from a walking surface.

2. ln a heelV for boots and shoes, a heel body having an openingtherein, a plate secured to the outer end of the heel, a revolublemember mounted plate, a tread member secured to the said revolublemember, meansv for normally maintaining the said tread member in aposition spaced from the said plate, bevel gears, and devices foractuating the said gears to turn the tread member a partial revolutioneach time the heel is raised from a walking surface.

3". ln a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an openingtherein, a plate attached to the outer end of the heel body, a drumpassing` through and journaled in the said plate, a tread memberattached to the drum, a shaft upon which the said drum is revolublymounted, the said shaft, drum and tread being movable longitudinally ofthe heel, means` for normally maintaining the drum and tread member in aposition in which the tread member is spaced from the plate, and devicesfor imparting a parw:

tial revolution to the said drum and tread member each time the heel islifted from a walking surface.

d. ln a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an opening therein,a plate attached tothe outer end of7 the heel, a drum mounted in theplate to be revoluble therein and also shiftable longitudinally of theheel, a tread member secured tothe said drum in a position normallyspaced from the'said plate, a bevel gear connected tothe said drum, asupport, a bevel gear mount ed in the said support and meshing with theaforesaid gear, means for normally main taining the drum and treadmember in a position spaced from the plate, and devices for actuatingthe said gears to impart a partial revolution to the said tread membereach time the heel is raisedl from a walking` surface.

in the said lui 5. In a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having anopening therein, a plate attached to the outer end of the heel, a drummounted in the plate to be revoluble therelin and also shiftablelongitudinally of the on the stub shaft and meshing With the. aforesaidbevel gear, means for normallyv maintaining the said drum, shaft andgears in the position in Which the tread member is spaced from the saidplate, and means for actuating the gears to turn the tread member aportion of a revolution each time the heel is lifted from a Walkingsurface.

6. In a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an opening therein,a plate attached to the outer end of the heel, a drum mounted in theplate to be revoluble therein and also shiftable longitudinally of theheel, a tread member secured to the said drum in a position normallyspaced from the said plate, a bevel gear connected to the said drum, ashaft upon which the drum and gear are revoluble, a stub shaft securedin the aforesaid shaft, a bevel gear mounted on the stub shaft andmeshing with the aforesaid bevel gear, a cross bar connected to the saidheel body and extending across the opening in the same, the said shafthaving a iattened end portion passing through a part of the cross bar toprevent the shaft from turning, means for normally maintaining the saidshaft, drum and gears in a posit-ion in which the tread member is`spaced from the plate, and devices for turning the said gears to imparta partial revolution to the tread member each time the heel is raisedfrom a Walking surface.

'7. In a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an openingtherein, a plate attached to the outerl end of the heel, a drum mountedin the plate to be revoluble therein and also vsliiftable longitudinallyof the heel, a tread member secured to the said drum in a positionnormally spaced from the said plate, a bevel gear connected to the saiddrum, a shaft upon which the drum and gear are revoluble, a stub shaftsecured in the aforesaid shaft, a bevel gear mounted on the stub shaftand meshing With the aforesaid bevel gear, a cross bar connected to thesaid heel body and extending across the opening in the same, the saidshaft havving a flattened end portion passing through a part of thecross bar to prevent the shaft from turning, a spring connected in thesaid cross bar and bearin against the end of the said shaft to norma lymaintain the shaft, the gears and the drum in a position in Which thetread member is spaced from the plate, and devices for turning the saidgears a partial revolution to impart a similar movement to the saidtread member each time the heely is raised from a Walking surface.

8. In a heel for boots and shoes, a heel body having an opening therein,a plate attached to the outer end of the heel, a drum mounted in theplate to be revoluble therein and also shiftable longitudinally of theheel, a tread member secured to the said drum in a position normallyspaced from the said plate, a bevel gear connected to the said drum, ashaft upon which the drum and gear are revoluble, a stub shaft securedin the aforesaid shaft, a bevel gear mounted on the stub shaft andmeshing With the aforesaid bevel gear, a cross b ar connected to thesaid heel body and extending across the opening in the same, the saidshaft .having a flattened end portion passing through a part of thecross bar to prevent the shaft from turning, a spring connected in thesaid cross bar and bearing against the end of the said shaft to normallymaintain the shaft, the gears and the drum in a position in which thetread member is spaced from the plate, a ratchet connected to the lastaforesaid bevel gear, and a dog mounted on the said cross bar andadapted to engage the teeth of the said ratchet whereby the ratchet isturned to move the bevel gears and thus impart a partial revolution tothe revoluble member each time the heel is raised from a Walkingsurface.

Signed by me this 6th day of November, 1922.

HENRY J. P. ROTTGER.

